A cokpokation



Nov. 3, 1925- v v F. E. SCHULZ AUTOMATIC. STOP FOR- KNITTING MACHINES Filed June 10.1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENTOR Hc/?ZJZ T MIORNEY Nov.

F. E. SCHULZ AUTOMATIC STOP FOR KNITTING MACHINES -15 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 10. 1924 7 F. E. ISCHULZ AUTOMATIC STOP FOR KNITTING MACHINES and June 10. 1924 :s Sheets-Shae?) 5 Patented Nov. 3, 1 925,

I NITED S A E V'EPAVTE'NT or 155934. Pics.

rmrz E. SGHULZ, ora mnAnELPnIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T SCHLETTER e ZANIDER me, or rnrmnnnrnm, PENNSYLVANIA, A GORPORAIIQN,Og EENjN SYI YANIL- H AUTOMATIC STOP FO'R KNITTING MACHINES.

' Application niagune 10, 1924: Serial No. 719,043.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRITZ E. SonULz, a citizen of the Republic of Germany, residing in thecity of Philadelphia, county of c 5 Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, have: invented acertain new and useful Automatic Stop for Knitting Machines, of which the following is a specification. 5

This invention, broadly stated, relates to straight-bar or flat knitting machines and has more especial relation t .an attachment therefor for automatically stopping, "at predetermined intervals, both forward and "retrograde movement of the main driving shaft thereof. 7

1n the manufacture of hosiery upon straight-bar or flat knitting machines it is customary to knit simultaneously, side by A) side, a plurality of stocking legs including heels.

sary during thei'ormation or fabrication of a such leg and heel portions to frequently stop machine parts. As an example, in full fashioned silk hosiery'having a high spliced heel and an upper leg portion of cotton it is necessarir -to stop: the operating mechanism six times-gas follows: at thefinish of the welt; at the finish of the-cottonportion ;"at E the commencement, of the narrowing operation; at the'beginnin-v of the high spliced heel path; at the heel part'yand when the loose course is introduced in the heel. It is therefore compulsory upon'the'part ofth'e operatonto nicely calculate when to stop the ma'chine and what is more to guard against retrograde movement of the main "driving shaft at the time of machine stoppage. fiihis is not only diflicultto do, but, if 40 it is not timelyand correctly done a plurality of. stocking webs are detrimentally' afi'ected.

The leading object of the' present inven- "tion is to overcome the above described di's- As commonly practiced it is neces-' 'tively inexpensive attachment for application to a conventional straight-bar or fiat knitting machine without change of structural parts, whereby, the main driving shaft,

at'predetermined intervals, is automatically stopped and'positively held against rear- .60 ward movement. Other objects reside in the provision of general arrangements, connections and combinations of parts for attaining the results sought. by the foregoing objects. Still further objects not at this time 66 particularlypointed out will appearherein after. I

The invention consists of the'novelc0n-' struetion hereinafter described and finally claimed. v

The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, and 'ifi fi which: t

Fig. 1, is a fragmentary view, in front elevation of a straight-bar or flat knitting nachine, illustrating the attachment of the invention in'application thereto. Fig. 2. is a view in section taken uponv the.

Fig. this a similar view taken upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figi'et; is a view in elevation of the in- 8 tcrnal, worindrivc for the rotary disc shown in Fig. 1, and;

Fig! ii view in section taken approxi-'- matcly upon the line 5--5 of Fig. 1.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown-in the accompanying drawings one form thereof which is at present preferred by me, since the same has been found in vpraetice'to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to oe -un"' derstood that the various instrumental ities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged. and organized and that; my invention is not limited to the precise. arrangen' ent and organization of the instrumentalities as herein-shown" and described. Referring now to the drawings in detail only so much of. a conventional straight-bar 1 or flat knitting machine illustrated as is necessaryto an understanding of the a p- 10,25v i' plication o'fthe stop mechanismenabodying the present invention. The numeral 1- des- 1 ignates the lower :frame'of .a sfraight haror erated by cam-shaft 2 and flat knitting machine, 2 designates the cam shaft, and 3 designates the main driving shaft which operates said cam shaft in a manner well understood in. the art. According to the present invention the'stop mechanism is operativcly connected between said cam shaft 2 and main driving shaft 3, and motion is imparted to the stop mechanism parts by said camshaft to trip certain of said stop mechanism parts at predetermined intervals to interru t main driving shaft rotation. Supports in fixed manner by lower frame 1, is a, vertically disposed standard 4, carrying at its top atwd part worm and worm-gear containing housing or casing 5, the worm and the worm gear 7. mounted upon shaft 8 which is arranged parallelism with the cam shaft 2 and the worm-gear 7 is mounted upon-a shaft 9 at right angles to cam-shaft 2. Shaft 8 is opa description of these parts will now be given. 'Fixcd to shaft 8 is a ratchet-wheel 10, motion beingimparted thereto by a pawl 11, pivoted as at 12 to a lever 13, best seen in Fig. This lever 13' is pivoted at one end as at 14am a bracket 15 fixed to standard 4 and is provided at its free end with.

a roller 16 which rules upon a cam 17 carried by the cam-shaft 2; Thus rotation of cam 1'4" imparts a rocking motion to lever 13 which in turn causes pawl 11 to function for step by step rotation of the shaft 8 and worm 6 and thereafter the wornngear and its shaft 9. Pawl 11 is n'iaintained in proper position with respect to ratchet-wheel 10 by means of a spring 18 connected between said pawl and lever 13. Fixed to worm-gear shaft Dis a disc 19 adapted for rotation in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1. This disc 19 upon its front face is provided with an annular groove 20 to adjustably accommodate a plurality of trip-fingers 2.1, of which there is one for every-desired numher of machine stops, five being shown for illustrative purposes. vEach trip-finger 21 is clamped to disc 19 by means of a bolthavgroove 20 ing a head 22 to engage the inner face of and anut 23 for abutting against the outer face of a trip-finger 21. In the rotation of disc 19 each trip-finger 21 actuates, at predetermined intervals, a trip-lever 22', pivoted atone end, as at 23, to standard ,4, and arranged at its other end to normally engage trippable, main shaft stopping mechanism, to be presently referred to. The trip-lever 22' 24, in which position said lever engages the n'otched part25 of a vertically disposed, pivotal lever 26. The trip-lever 22' is provided with a laterally extended, fixed stud 26, carrying at its outer end a ivotal fin ger 27 which'is positioned in t e path, of

being designated 6' The worm 6 is step by step shaft 3,

y is normally maintained. in horizontal posit-ion by means of spring 60 assaesa travel of the trip-fingers 21. This finger if? is slotted at 28 within which slotted part 1s accommodated a stop 29 fixed as at 30 to the 'undersidei'of stud'26. A spring 31 connects finger 27 with stop 295 andnormally causes.

pivot poiiit freely] contacts with stop. fill oint and release the freehand of said lever, rem catch 25 of lever 28". B having fin g'er 27 loose upon stud 26, as escribed, the

contacting fingers are prevented from cans:

ing the parts to jamb. Lever 26 is pivoted. at 34 to the rear of casing 5, near its upper end, and its lower end is conriectedto standard 4 by means of a spring 35. carried at 37 by the frame of the machine is a detent or a dog 36 the is connected by spring 53' frame, and the upper end 53 of which is ada ted to engage with the teeth ofa wheel 38 red to theinain drive shaft 3, upon operation of lever 26'. The dog has fixed thereto a pin 52 which normally lies in front of the lever 26' to prevent the upper end 53 of said dog 36 from engaging with,

As trip-lever 22 functions, lever wheel 38.

26 moves in the direction of the'arrow in Pivotally lower end of which with said machine Fig. 1 thus freeing pin 52, whereupon dc tent or dog 36 is caused by spring 53 gage a tooth of wheel 38 and thus prevent retrograde movement of the main drive itbeing' understood that said main drive shaft 3 is stopped in the usual manner bythe usual mechanism when starting" rod 55 is shifted to the left in Fig. 1. according to the present invention, not. only is the machine stopping mechanism operated but retrograde movement of the shaft is also accomplished. "To reset the parts the dog 36 is moved out of engagement Thusmain drive with wheel 38'and pin 52 placed in posit-ion before lever 26 which latter lever is again caused to engage with lever "22', the upper; endof lever 26' being moved about its pivotal point 34 to the right in Fig. l in said resetting of parts. The starting'rod 55 is provided with a stop 56 with which the end 39 of lever 26 is inenga'gement so that trip ping of the lever 22 cause shifting of rod 55 to the left in Fig. 1 to stop the operation of the machine. In order to prevent retrograde movement of shaft 8 there is fixed thereto a ratchet wheel 40 engaging. with which is a spring detent 41 fixed to the casing or housing" 5 as alt--12. In order to rotate shaft 8 by hand if necessary to procure propenadjust-inent of parts a handle 43'is loosely mounted upon shaft 8 and is provided with a pawl 48 which is held in contact with the ratchet wheel 10 by releases lever 26' to loosely over ratchetwheel 10. but when ban-- .dle 43 s operated by hand said pawl 48 functions to rotate shaft 8. The rear Wall of means ofa spring 49 which is connected to the handle 43 as at 50. Thus, in normal ro-- tationof shaft 8 said pawl 48 merely rides v disc 19 isapertured at 51 fonthe introduc tion of the finger parts 21 within the annular recess of said casing. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as' 'new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1*. In a straight-bar knitting machine the combination of a main driving shaft, a cam shaft operated thereby, a disc rotatably carried by a fixed part of the machine, trip- ,fingers carried by said-disc, means operative between said cam shaft and disc for step-bystep movement of said disc, a toothed Wheel fixed to said main driving shaft and tripmechanism including a detent to engage said wheel anda pivotal finger arranged in the path of travel' of saidtrip-fingers for stopping retrograde movement of said main.

driving shaft. e

2. In a straight-bar knitting machine/the .combination of a main driving shaft,- a cam shaft operated thereby, a'disc rotatably car'- ried by a fixed part of the machine, said disc having an annular recess in the face thereof, trip-fingers carried by said disc, and adj ustably arranged with respect to said recess,

.a worm-gear drive and paw'ling means operative between said cam shaft and'disc for step-by-step movement of said disc, a toothed yvheel fi-xed to said main driving shaft and trip-mechanism including a detent to engage said wheel and a pivotal finger arranged in the path of travel of said tripfingers for stopping retrograde movement of said main driving shaft.

4. 1n a straight-bar knitting machine the combination of a main driving shaft, a .cam shaft operated thereby. a disc rotatably carried by a fixed part of the machine, tripfingers carried by said disc, means operative between said cam shaft and disc for step-bystep movement of said disc, in toothed wheel fixed to'said main driving shaft, trip-mechanism including a detent to engage said wheel and a pivotal finger arranged in the path of travel of retrograde movement of said tripfingcrs for stopping said main driving shaft,

and-means operative to movement of said disc.

, 5. In a straight-bar knitting machine the .combination of a main driving shaft, a cam prevent retrograde v shaft operatedthereby, a standard carried by afixed part of the machine, a casing sup' ported-upon said standard, a discrotatably supported by saidcasing, a worm-gear drive arranged in said casing for operating said disc, a plurality of trip-fingers secured to said disc. means operative betvreen said cam shaft and worm-gear drive for imparting a step-by-step movement to 'said'disc, a toothed whcelfixed to the main driving shaft and tri 'i-mechanism including a detentto engage said-toothed wheel and a pivotal finger arranged in the path of travel-of said tripfingers to stop retrograde movement of said driving shaft.

6. In a straight-bar knitting machine the combination of a main driving shaft, a cam shaft operated thereby, a standard carried by a fixed part ofthe machine, a casing. supported upon said standard, a disc rotatably supported by said casing, a Worm-gear drive arranged in said casing for operating said disc, a plurality of trip-fingers"secured to i said disc, means including a pawl and ratchet operative between said cam shaft and wormgear drive for imparting a step-by-step movement to said disc, a toothed wheel fixed to the main'driving shaft and trio-mechanism including a detent to engage said toothed wheel and a pivotal finger arranged in the path of travel of retrograde mov ment of said trip-fingers to stop said driving shaft. y 1

7. In 'a straight-bar knitting machine the combination of a main driving shaft, a cam shaft operated thereby, a standard carried I by a fixed part of the machine, a casing supported upon said standard, a disc rotatably supported by said casing, a worm-gear drive Q arranged in said casing for operating said disc, a plurality oftrip-fingers secured tosaid disc,-means operative between said cam shaft and worm-gear drive for imparting a f st'ep-by-step movement to said disc, a'toothed Wheel fixed to the main driving shaft, trip mechanism including a detent to engage said toothed Wheel and a plurality of pivotal levers including a pivotal finger arranged in the path of travel of retrograde movement of said trip-fingers to stop said driving shaft.

8. In a straight-bar knitting machinethe combination of a main driving shaft,a cam shaft operated thereby, a standard. carried by a fixed part of the machine,;a casing supported upon said" standard, a rotatably supported by said casing, a worm-gear drive arranged in said casing 'for operating said disc, a plurality of-radially disposed, adjustable trip-fingers secured to said disc, means operative between said cam shaft and wormgear drive for imparting a step-by-step movement to said disc, a'toothed Wheel fixed to the main driving shaft, and trip mechanisin including a detent to engage said toothed wheel and a pivotal linger arranged in the pathof travel of retrograde movement of said trip-fingers to stop said driving shaft.

9. In a straight-bar knitting. machine the combination of a main driving shaft,-- a cam shaft operated thereby, a casing supported upon said standard, a disc rotatably support ed by said casing, a worm-gear drive arranged in.said casing for rotating said'disc, a plurality of fixed trip-fingers carried by said disc, means operative betweensaid ealnshatt and \vornrgear for actuating said disc by a step-hy-step action, a lever pivoted to said standard and provided with spring pressed, pivotal fingers arranged in the path of travel of said trip-fingers, a lever pivoted to said casing and normally rendered inactive by said pivotal arm, a toothed wheel fixed to the main shaft and a detent carried by said pivotailever and adapted to co-aet with said toothed Wheel to stop said main shaft upon tripping of retrograde movement of said pivotal trip to release said lever.

10. In a straight-bar knittingmachine the combination of a main driving shalt, a cam shaft operated thereby, a casing supported upon said standard, a disc rotatably supported by said casing, a Worm-gear drive arranged in said casing for rotating said disc, a plurality of fixed trip-fingers carried by said disc, means operative between said camshaft and worm-gear for actuating said disc by a step-by-step action, a lever pivoted to said standard and provided with a laterally extended stud having a spring pressed, pivotal finger arranged in the path of travel of said trip-fingers, said pivotal trip having limited free movement upon said stud when a trip-linger engages therewith, a lever pivoted to said casing and normally rendered inactive bysaid pivotal arm, a toothed Wheel fixed to the main shaft and a detent carried by said pivotal lever and adapted to co-act with said toothed Wheel to stop retrograde movement of said main shaft upon tripping of said pivotal trip to release said lever.

, ll. In a-straight-bar knitting machine the combination of a main driving shaft, a cam shaft operated thereby, a casing supported upon said standard, a disc rotatably supported by said casing, a worm-gear drive arranged in said casing't'or rotating said disc, a plurality of fixed trip-fingers carried by said disc, means operative hetweensaid camshaft and vvornrgeartor actuating said disc by a step-by-step action,- a lever pivoted said standard and provided with spri pressed, pivotal fingers arranged in the path of travel of said trip-fingers, a lever pivoted. to said casing and normally rendered inaetive by said pivotal-arm said arm having a notched portion to engage with the free end oisaid arm and having a spring connecting its lower end to said standard, a toothed .wheel fixed to the main shaft and a detent carried by said pivotal lever and adapted, to co-act with said toothed wheel'to stop retro-- grade movement of saidmain shaft upon tripping of said pivotal trip to release said lever signed my name.

In testimony whereof, I have lupreinraa- 

